


Drift Compatible

by Icka M Chif (mischif)



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-07
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-29 11:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3894814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischif/pseuds/Icka%20M%20Chif
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I can’t do this, North!” Bunny shouted, his tones sharp and clipped as he waved his hands in the air. His ears were constantly twitching, the fur down his spine sticking up, making him look fluffier as he paced back and forth in a short line in North’s office. “I… Cannot… I don’t have the words, I cannot do this.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drift Compatible

**Author's Note:**

> So I was looking at [this post, about Chris Pratt and the Jurassic World Raptors being Drift Compatible](http://skylanth.tumblr.com/post/118291173784/fancymancer-clockworkpearlgirl), and started laughing at the idea of Jack and Bunny being Drift compatible.  
> ... and then Boom. Angst.

* * *

“I can’t do this, North!” Bunny shouted, his tones sharp and clipped as he waved his hands in the air. His ears were constantly twitching, the fur down his spine sticking up, making him look fluffier as he paced back and forth in a short line in North’s office. “I… Cannot… I don’t have the words, I cannot do this.” 

“Bunny, Bunny, relax!” It was all North could do to keep from chortling with glee. Drift Compatible! With Jack Frost no less! The way they moved, all speed and lashing instinct, it had been a glorious sight to see. 

Well, until Bunny chased the rabbit and the neural bridge broke down. But still, he hadn’t seen numbers like that since… Well, Toothiana, but she was technically drifting with herself. 

He wondered how things would change, now that one of her little fairies was named, and was slowly becoming not so little. 

It was a pity that Sandy was incompatible with the Jaeger system, although his ability to harness and ride falling stars and drop them on Kaiju was pretty handy.

“It shouldn’t be possible!” Bunny snapped. “There was never a single instance where _anyone_ in the Pooka Brotherhood was compatible with anyone other than a Pooka!” 

From what Bunny had said, that was the Brotherhood’s biggest strength, was that they were all drift compatible with each other. It didn’t matter if they’d never met before, they could still pilot a Jaeger against Pitch’s Kaiju.

-At least, until Pitch had wiped them all out, except for Bunny. They hadn’t even really known about Bunny’s past, Jaegers, and the Pooka Brotherhood until Pitch started summoning Kaiju to Earth, giant monstrous shades that spread fear and darkness like tidal waves across the landscape. 

“Perhaps you are not so Pooka then after all, eh?” North meant it as a jest, trying to lighten the air. People, even Bunnys, changed. 

He realised his mistake the second the words left his lips, Bunny staring at him as if North had just punched him in the gut. 

“-Or perhaps Jack is more Pooka than expected?” North quickly amended. It wouldn’t surprise him if that had been the reason Manny had brought their young friend back from the grave as Jack Frost. 

Come to think of it, 300 years ago had been right about the time Pitch had released the first Kaiju on Earth… 

“Says the human who drifts with a Yeti.” Bunny attempted to sneer, but both his words and expression fell flat, everything drooping, from his ears right down to his fur. 

North shrugged. “Proof that one does not need to be the same species to be compatible.” He and Phil made a good team, both in the Jaeger, and out.  


“I can’t… “ Bunny shook his head. “You don’t… You don’t _understand_.” He growled, ire and frustration raising again before he stormed out of North’s office. 

North sighed as he watched Bunny go, the Guardian of Hope not noticing Jack lingering in the doorway, probably having heard every single word they’d said. 

Jack watched Bunny go, then turned and looked at North, a something sad and vulnerable on his face. North wondered if they’d lost Jack as a pilot, if the young Guardian had decided against drifting with Bunny after merging their minds together.

Then Jack’s expression firmed and he stepped inside. “Being a Pooka means a lot to him.” Jack said, his tone slightly admonishing. 

“I know.” North shook his head. “But what happened to the rest of the Brotherhood happened a long time ago. He needs to let it go, move on with his life. This? With you? Is good thing. Step in the right direction.” 

The Pooka Brotherhood had been dead for millions of years, and yet Bunny could not seem to let them go. It was something that drove North up the wall to no end. 

The past was over and done with, they had a future to look forward to and children to protect. That was better to look at then being mired in the past that one could not change, yes?

Jack tilted his head, mulling over the words. “Bunny and I, we’re really different, yeah? Freezing and Thawing, Young and Old.” He leaned forward, resting his weight on his staff.  “Do you know why we’re compatible?” 

North hesitated. He hadn’t really thought of it, other than the fact that their fighting styles were similar, based on observing their opponent, predicting their moves, and then attacking. 

The corner of Jack’s voice curled up in a bitter smile. “We both understand loneliness.“ 

North’s breath caught in his throat, closing on apologies that were not welcome. That was one past mistake he wished he could fix, that they would have known what Manny had done to Jack Frost, leaving the boy isolated for so long. 

It was a mystery, one North had been unable to get an answer for, why Manny had not told the Guardians about him. Having the Warren Jaeger up instead of relying on just the Punjam Hy Loo and the Workshop Jaegers would have been a load off their minds, and made greater tactical sense. 

“It was a favourite game of Pitch’s to kill one Pilot and leave the other alive, feeding off the survivor's pain and fear. It stopped most of the pilots, other than the Brotherhood who kept fighting.” Jack said slowly. “Several of Aster’s Brothers were connected to him in the drift when they died.”

“Yes-?” North shrugged. “This, I know.” It was the reason for the downfall of the Golden Age’s Jaeger program, and why they’d sent Bunny and the First Light to Earth and away from Pitch to begin with. 

Although what that had to do with them being compatible, he didn’t understand.

“No, I don’t think you do.” Jack shook his head, giving North an intense look, like North should be able to get what he was saying and was slightly disappointed in him that he didn’t. “300 years alone is a long time.”

The catch in Jack’s voice, the vulnerability and aching in it made North hesitate. 

“Do you have any idea what I would have given, just to have friends, memories, _anything_ other than the echoing nothingness in my mind?” Jack stepped closer, motioning towards the doorway Bunny had left through. 

“Do you have any idea how much he’d give to get the screaming to stop in his?”  


-fin-


End file.
